The field of the invention generally relates to a refrigerator having a through-the-door dispenser for ice, water, or the like, and more particularly the invention relates to a photosensitive control for illuminating a light bulb positioned in the recess of the dispenser.
Through-the-door ice and water dispensers are widely used in domestic refrigerators, especially those of the so-called side-by-side models. As is well known, there generally is a recess or a cavity in the front of the freezer door, and the glass to be filled in inserted into it. Upon depressing an actuator, the ice, water, or other cold drink is then dispensed directly into the glass without the necessity of opening the refrigerator door. Such method of obtaining ice or chilled liquid is very convenient, and also avoids opening the door and introducing heat into the interior of the refrigerator. Such dispensers are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,798,923; 3,874,559; and 3,942,334.
Prior art dispensers have used a light bulb to illuminate the dispenser cavity so that it is easy to see when the glass is filled to the desired level with ice or liquid. Further, dispenser light bulbs have been coupled to the dispenser actuator so that the light bulb automatically comes on while ice or liquid is being dispensed, but otherwise is off. More specifically, it is common for ice dispensers to have a pivoted mechanism such as a lever arm against which the glass is pushed to open a small door covering the ice chute. Typically, the dispenser actuator switch is responsive to movement of the lever arm such that when the lever arm is depressed to open the door, the actuator switch is closed thereby actuating an ice auger that feeds ice down the chute. This same or a similarly mounted switch has also been used to turn the light bulb on so that activation of the dispensing apparatus automatically turns on the dispenser light.
Prior art refrigerators have also had an operator actuable toggle switch for the dispenser light bulb so that the bulb could be turned on and left on independent of dispensing. More specifically, it has been found to be a desirable feature to be able to turn the dispenser light bulb on at night so that anyone wanting ice or water during the night can easily find his way to the refrigerator in the dark without turning on the kitchen lights and subjecting his eyes to the brightness. It has been found that either by intent or inadvertence, refrigerator dispenser lights are often not turned off in the morning such that the light bulbs are left on continuously. It has been determined that when the light bulbs are continuously operated at household voltage, their mean life to failure (MLTF) is unsatisfactorily low. For example, a typical light bulb may have to be replaced every three or four months, and many customers find this unacceptable.